The more dominant a single brand is in the marketplace, the easier it is for an innovator to compete with them. So says Hugh Martin, Chairman and CEO of Pacific Biosciences, who headed the start-up that once competed with dominant telecoms like Nortel, Lucent, and Alcatel. His reasoning? Monolithic entities in a sector get lazy, lose touch with their customers, and become overly confident with their price point, creating tremendous opportunities for competition. Upstart entrepreneurs should never be afraid to slay a giant. 

Why print photos when the blog is king? And who prints photos in the age of digital cameras? Shutterfly CEO Jeff Housenbold explains how an old-fashioned business like photo printing is surviving - and thriving - in electronic media. He also discusses how technological innovations are reducing environmental resources in the photo industry landscape. 

Often one person's actions one can impact the course for many. Former California State Senator Jackie Speier talks about the importance of standing up for a purpose when your passion is strong. She illustrates this idea by discussing what drove the people who initiated stem cell research and those who stood up against drunk driving. She insists that life requires one to step up when the mission is genuine. 

Tom Siebel, founder of Siebel Systems and current CEO of First Virtual Group, recaps a history of the information technology boom, and pronounces it a nearly stagnant sector. He focuses on the burgeoning interests in energy, healthcare, food and water, and other market possibilities to meet the needs of an expanding, aging, and more affluent global population. 

What's it like to work inside Deloitte? Managing Partner Teresa Briggs offers insight into the organization and its community outreach programs, and focuses on strategies employed to create intimacy and accountability on a smaller scale.